Hijab row in Karnataka gets a political turn with both ruling BJP and opposition Congress leaders blaming each other.

It first erupted in government PU college in Udupi, then spread to the first-grade college in Kundapura, next Bhadrawati, now it has spread all over Karnataka. Congress has alleged that  BJP wanted to take a big political gain from it for the 2023 Assembly elections. 

Congress has alleged that BJP is trying to communalize the education by directing colleges in Udupi not to allow students to the colleges who wearing Hijabs.

Bhandarkar’s first-grade college in Kundapura has now center of controversy. Students wearing hijabs are not allowed to enter the colleges. Videos have been surfaced on social media that, the college principal closed the gate for the students who wear hijabs.

Even students have pleaded with folded hands requesting the Principal to allow them to attend the classes. But Principal refused to open the gate citing the reason that the government ordered not to allow students to attend classes who wear hijabs.

Now Students have staged dharna in front of the college gate, demanding the college authority to allow them to attend classes with hijab. To counter the Muslim girls, few Hindu boys have tried to enter the college by wearing saffron shawls and asked Muslim students to remove their hijab. Nearly 27 Muslim girls studying in the institute had been coming to the campus wearing hijab.

We have requested the Principal allow us to enter the college till High Court's decision. We have used to wear hijab earlier too, the college management is giving a false statement. Our sisters and seniors wore the hijab. A few days back college management informed us not to wear hijab henceforth. We do want education and hijab too", said a student who protesting outside the college gate.

Opposition leader Siddaramaiah criticized the state government for denying the right to education of Muslim students. Congress legislators from the Muslim community criticized the state government of politicizing the issue. On the other hand, Primary and Secondary Education Minister C.V. Nagesh categorically stated that students who wear Hijab won't be allowed to attend the classes. BJP MLAs have defended the action of College authorities not allowing students to attend the classes wearing hijabs. Even Kannada and culture minister Sunil Kumar warned that government will not allow Udupi for Taliban rules.